If Smith goes to Wasps at all......Who's to say he will be leaving for more money than on offer at Leeds anyway and even if true it could be marginal as was the case with Chev Walker. He could even be off for less for all we know and he might just fancy a crack at Union, a move to London or whatever his motivation..... why does it automatically have to be money.

It's not something that has ever motivated me.

They've extended or renewed the contracts of 13 players. I suspect some of that may be "contract restructuring" - in other words players being asked to take pay cuts or freezes rather than increases.

Saracens on the flip-side are releasing 14(?) players at the end of the season in a bid to slash their wage bill. Good to see the positive work of Agent Farrell continuing apace.

Saracens are releasing those players so they can sign up a load of South Africans, given that their new owners also have a stake in some of the Super 14 franchises down there. It may well help reduce the wage bill, but I don't think that was the primary consideration.

Players who leave Leeds only ever leave for money. People who leave other clubs to come to Leeds do so for a variety of reasons.

HTH

True, I suppose one of the big lures of playing RU in this country is getting a chance to be part of the England RU side, who do have a big profile, I'm sure that if the international side wasn't as high profile as it is most of the recent 'code switcher's' wouldnt have gone.

Think Cipriani has only added one year to his contract so maybe less expensive than it might first appear.

What do u lot on here think of Smith?
Good player
Good player to fully develop
I used to like him and think he was a good player but i dont now since he is probably moving to the other code.

Just because he's moving doesn't make him any worse a Rugby League player.....I Rate him, although I'm sure he can improve further. He's done a brilliant job filling in for Webb, almost faultless and I hope we hang on to him because if you can have that talent as your 2nd choice fullback, it can't be a bad thing.

He's a very good rugby league player. I can't see him getting near the England RU squad however, he doesn't quite have the pace for the wing, he looks like he can kick abit so may end up at full-back I suppose. IMO though it's a real shame because his game is suited to League, he's great returning the ball and also very dangerous from dummy half. He's safe under the high ball and not a bad defender.

Hes a good out and out player, but hes not irreplaceable, we have back up in the positions that he plays, so its not like we are missing out if we lose him.

Fullback - Brent Webb, Ben Jones Bishop
Wing - Scott Donald (providing he does not go to), Ashley Gibson, Kallum Watkins, Jody Broughton, Ryan Hall.
Centre - Keith Senior, Carl Ablett, Ashley Gibson, Kallum Watkins.

If anywhere were we miss out is if we lose Scott Donald and Lee Smith, and we will definatly need to bring a winger into the club.

Have you missed any wingers out there, do you think?

He is irreplaceaable currently in the club as utility value.

Yes we have wingers, yes we have centres, yes we have fullbacks. But only Webb comes close to him to be as good for versatility in all the back positions. Then the added kicking game, both place and touch.

Aye i did.

In the League Express Martyn Sadler says that he has been told that Lee Smith has already signed for Wasps for next year.

I think it's becoming more of a certainty each day, I'd seriously think about dropping him now and playing someone who actually wants to play for us

FFS. Should we have dropped Ellis last season when he announced he was leaving? Should the bulls have dropped Peacock for their 2005 GF win because he had signed for Leeds?

What a ridiculous statement. Dropping your best player of the season so far because he has not signed a new contract, and with no replacements anywhere close to him. Why would that be a good idea?

You obviously don't understand the meaning of the words "think about"

And you dont know the definition of seriously. You made an embarrasing statement.

Crazy - the form player of the season - drop him to the reserves - if you had said let him go now OK I could understand that but to pay his wages and not play him!!

Most of us have an extended notice period - six months in my case - I would expect to work that notice without any impairment to the level of work - why should we expect any less from Lee Smith?

I for one wish him all the success in the future whatever that brings - hopefully if he does go to union he will make a great success of it - which can only reflect positively on himself, the Rhinos and RL.

What would the point be in letting him go now?

To free up cap space if there was a replacement available al;though we seem to have plenty of cap space anyway.

I don't see any on field evidence of him not wanting to play for us, so can't see any reason as to why someone would seriously consider dropping him.

The fact that he's (probably) leaving suggests he doesn't want to play for us.

When it gets nearer the start of the RU preseason we will see how his performances hold up, if they don't drop then all credit to the lad.

I guess I'm old school, if a player wants to leave then I don't want them here.

I'd rather give Watkins games over a player who has no long term future with us, in the long run that will benefit the club far more.

And if Watkins develops into a world class centre in the next 12 months and is poached by Union you could say we have wasted 12 months developing him with no benefit to us.We can all play the hindsight game,I say if Smith is giving 100% and is one of our stand out players then play him until and if he does leave.

If he's doing the job then there is no reason to not play him. You want your strongest 17 out there week in week out. For past precedent see Scruton in the GF team ahead of Burgess

And that contract was signed four years ago when Smith had made only a handful of appearances in the first grade.



He's contracted for 2009 at Leeds. All that is happening is he is (probably) sorting out his plans for 2010 and beyond just the same as all the other players coming off contract this season will be doing.

There is an issue arising out of all this (if true) and that is, will Hetherington seek to cash in mid season by allowing Smith to leave for the RU pre season ala Vainikolo and Hape at Bradford?

Leeds' squad is already weaker (on numbers) this season than last as it is. If Smith were allowed to leave early then a bad situation gets worse without some much needed recruitment from somewhere.